1. Field of Invention
This patent relates to a previously filed Disclosure Document filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Disclosure Document Number 418,953 on May 9, 1997. Specifically, this invention relates to ball pitching or serving apparatuses, to an improved method for loading objects such as balls of various sizes, weights, and materials, which are exposed to atmospheric pressure, through a hole in the wall of a tube or barrel which is attached on one end to a source of flowing air, while continuing to obstruct the release or loss of air from the source through the hole in the wall of the tube or barrel as the object is loaded.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Prior art which utilizes a source of flowing air to propel balls or other objects has attempted to overcome the release of flowing air from the source by various methods. These methods are embodied in the following inventions:
i) The Induced Air Device For Discharging Spherical Members, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,349 by Nielsen does not overcome the loss of air from its source of flowing air through the hole at which the ball is loaded into the device. Nielsen utilizes a trap door which opens and closes as vacuum pressure and backpressure created by the source of flowing as the ball enters the barrel is utilized to alternately open and close the back door. As the trap door closes air escapes through the opening until the door seals the opening.
ii) The Air-Actuated Ball-Throwing Device and Method Therefor, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,271, by Actor, the problem of air loss through the hole in the barrel is only partially overcome as the ball is loaded into the barrel. Actor has created vacuum pressure around the hole by placing a tab on the inside wall of the barrel which diverts the flowing air away from the hole and permits a ball to drop through a tube surrounding the hole creating a point of entry perpendicular to the linear air discharge axis. When the ball is loaded into the barrel the air which the ball obstructs is then forced out the hole in the wall of the barrel, and air pressure to propel the ball is diminished. Actor uses a lid or cover over the supply of balls which seals the container of balls from atmospheric pressure, thereby preventing the escape of air through the hole in the barrel.
iii) The Ball Throwing Machine in U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,988 by Sweeton again uses a trap door which he labels a vane and horizontal pivot is positioned under the ball feed port such that when the vane is in the horizontal position air is prevented from escaping through the port. The vane creates a valve which opens as the weight of the ball in the port presses against it, and closes after the ball enters the air flow and creates backpressure within the device, thereby moving the vane and sealing the valve. Air pressure or flow escapes out the port as the vane closes and seals the valve.
iv) The Relief Pitcher in U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,330 by Sharp utilizes holes in the wall of the tube surrounding its feed port as the release point for the backpressure created by the device at its feed port as the ball is loaded into the barrel. Sharp also utilizes a lower tapered orifice at the barrel's connection point to the source of flowing air in order to create suction pressure at the feed port which is positioned at the suction pressure. With Sharp, air pressure is lost through the feed port as the ball enters the barrel.
v) The Baseball, Softball, and Tennis Training Device in U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,615 by Jones is a device which permits air loss through its feed port as the ball is loaded, the feed port is then sealed over the ball, preventing air loss through the port. The ball then drops into the barrel and is propelled by the force from the source of flowing air. In Jones, and automatic ball feeder from a hopper containing a supply of balls attached over the feed port, must be covered at the top of the hopper, thereby preventing air loss and permitting balls to be loaded sequentially without loss of air through the feed port.
(vi) The Apparatus for dispensing powdered and granulated materials by Dvorak et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,161 utilizes air inlet and outlet tubes from a container which is attached to a leaf blower to dispense powder or granular material. It does not have a rotating loading mechanism but uses air force from the blower to draw powder from the container through the tubes. The supply of power is not exposed to atmospheric pressure.
(vii) The Pesticide Duster Attachment for Portable Blower by Ussery, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,996 also does not have the supply of powder or dust exposed to atmospheric pressure.
(viii) The Garden Powder Duster by Sansalone, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,567 has a dusting agent container attached to the tube on the air blower. This container is not exposed to atmospheric pressure.
(ix) The Fertilizer Spreader of Mattson, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,852, does not have a supply of fertilizer which is exposed to atmospheric pressure.
(x) The Pesticide Duster by Mesic, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,256,241 does not have a supply of pesticide which is exposed to atmospheric pressure.
Objects and Advantages.
Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the invention are to provide a means for loading balls of various sizes, weights, shapes, and materials, through a hole or feed port in wall of a barrel which is attached to a source of flowing air on one end, without release of air through the feed port, such that a ball which is exposed to atmospheric pressure can be loaded through the port without the loss of air from the source of flowing air through the port. This invention has various embodiments, all of which utilize this method of loading. Each embodiment is simple and can be built or molded of inexpensive hard and lightweight materials such as plastic, metal, steel, resin, or vinyl. It can be assembled quickly, simply and easily by the user. When operational the unit can project balls, from a replenishable supply of balls at atmospheric pressure, in a range of 10 to 85 miles per hour at various targets at various time intervals.
The only disadvantage of the invention is the noise level which is mitigated by the fact that its user will be 40 or more feet away from the invention as it is operated. The inventors are currently developing a means to muffle or reduce the sound level of an air blower.